South Africa's government and civil society unite for the International Day of the Boy Child
Minister Siviwe Gwarube and civil society leaders are set to address hundreds of learners and stakeholders during the International Day of the Boy Child commemoration at Thaba Tshwane City Hall.
Image: Supplied
As the world marks the International Day of the Boy Child, South Africa's government and civil society are stepping up efforts to place the needs, struggles, and potential of boys at the centre of national dialogue.
On May 16, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), in partnership with key organisations, will lead a national commemoration at Thaba Tshwane City Hall in Centurion, Gauteng.
Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, will be joined by Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule, along with Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr Ganief Hendricks, and Gauteng MEC for Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, Mr Matome Chiloane.
'The day seeks to address specific challenges facing boys while harnessing the collective strength and industry of partnerships,' the department said, reflecting a broader concern across society about the growing vulnerability of young boys in South Africa.
This year's theme extends beyond symbolic gestures, calling attention to the educational, psychological, and social challenges many boys face, from school dropouts and mental health struggles to their roles in preventing gender-based violence.
The initiative includes a diverse coalition of partners: UNESCO, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, GIZ, SABC Education, the Baithudi Mampane Foundation, YouthStart Foundation, and PRIMESTARS.
The department said this partnership model aims to create tangible interventions that support boys' development and protect them from social risks.
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'The DBE and its partners intend to leverage the International Day of the Boy Child to address the systemic educational, psychological as well as social challenges facing boys in South Africa.'
A significant precursor to this year's commemoration was the 2023 film "What About the Boys", born from a Presidential engagement.
The film provided a raw look at the lived experiences of boys across the country, shedding light on their trauma, silence, and the urgent need to include them in conversations around nation-building and violence prevention.
Friday's event will gather three generations of men, including prominent media figures, artists, and athletes who will serve as role models to inspire a new narrative around masculinity, emotional well-being, and community leadership.
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Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Daily Maverick
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Approved by the Council of Education Ministers, the guidelines have nonetheless met with a mixed response. According to the new guidelines sections 4 and 5 of the act will undergo thorough public consultation before any government directives can be issued. The guidelines state that a school's language policy must prioritise the best interests of learners, while also taking into account available resources, classroom capacity, and what is offered at surrounding schools. Structured process The government will not be able to impose decisions unilaterally — instead, a structured process must be followed before any changes are made to a school's language or admission policies. School governing bodies, parents, relevant associations, and the broader community in which the school operates will all play a role in these decisions. Under the regulations, before a provincial education head can direct a school to adopt more than one language of instruction, they must first ensure that all public participation requirements outlined in the South African Schools Act are met. These include issuing public notice and allowing for a comment period, during which the school, its governing body, parents, and the community can make informed submissions on the proposed change. A public hearing must also be held with reasonable notice, and stakeholders must be given at least 30 days to submit their input. On admissions, the guidelines advise that if a provincial department wishes to force a school to change policy, the department must allow the school governing body an opportunity to dispute and discuss the change. Education expert Mary Metcalfe has welcomed the guidelines, stating that they align with both the act itself and existing national and provincial norms and standards for admissions and language policy. Metcalfe stated that the Bela Bill already made provision for meaningful public participation from school communities and governing bodies, indicating confidence in the law's inclusivity on this front. On the issue of language policy, she said the guidelines were fully consistent with the Bela Bill and should help enable smoother implementation, particularly as provinces began preparations for the 2026 academic year. 'The planning for the 2026 school year will need to ensure that all provinces provide for the admission of all children who turn six in 2026 — Grade R in all schools for all eligible children,' she said. Concerns raised However, other stakeholders have raised significant concerns about the guidelines' practical impact and legal status. Equal Education Law Centre attorney Ebrahiem Daniels and senior researcher Katherine Sutherland said that, in their preliminary view, the guidelines were non-binding — as they themselves acknowledge — and carry little to no legal weight for provincial education departments. They added that the Department of Basic Education had the authority to issue such guidelines, and did so routinely, from exam protocols to hygiene practices in schools. 'These particular guidelines, in our opinion, add little practical value. They largely restate what is already in Bela in more complicated and convoluted language,' they said. Daniels and Sutherland noted that although the Department of Basic Education acknowledged giving 'key stakeholders' only a short window to review the draft guidelines, citing urgency, it remained unclear how those stakeholders were chosen — and no broad public call for comment was made. 'Civil society organisations currently working in education were not consulted and were not alerted, including ourselves and our social movement partner Equal Education. On top of that, we are aware from consultations with others that they were not either,' they said. From their Equal Education Law Centre understanding, the consultation primarily involved representatives from organisations historically opposed to the language and admissions provisions in the Bela Bill. 'Government sources indicate these same groups were involved in drafting the soon to be released draft norms on school capacity. Many of these stakeholders have, in the past, prioritised maintaining small class sizes in well-resourced public schools over broader equity considerations, even when other schools face overcrowding. 'Our concern is that this recent pattern of favouring stakeholders with clear vested interests may influence the upcoming binding regulations on school capacity, which are far more important than non-binding guidelines,' they said. When asked about the potential for the uneven application of the guidelines across provinces or districts, Daniels and Sutherland said the risk was high, given the significant disparities in administrative capacity, financial resources, and political leadership across provinces. They noted that some provinces may interpret the guidelines in line with political priorities, while others may treat them more strictly or disregard them altogether. They also pointed out that differing apartheid legacies could lead to provinces approaching language and admissions policies in fundamentally different ways. Daniels and Sutherland noted that the guidelines came at a time when schools and education departments urgently needed clarity. However, instead of offering clear, practical direction, the guidelines tended to echo Bela's language while introducing new layers of procedural complexity not found in the legislation. 'The length and complexity issue is particularly problematic. A school principal seeking clarity on admission procedures must now navigate pages of detailed factors, cross-references, and procedural requirements that could have been streamlined into clear decision-making frameworks. The guidelines; convoluted approach may actually hinder rather than help implementation,' they said. 'The irony is that in a purported attempt to provide guidance on the interpretation and implementation of Bela, the minister has created a document that may require its own interpretation.' Sadtu labels guidelines unlawful The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has condemned Gwarube for releasing what it calls 'purported guidelines', describing the move as arrogant and unlawful. In a media statement, Sadtu said the minister lacked the legal authority to issue such guidelines, pointing out that, under the Constitution, only regulations — not guidelines — could be made in terms of Bela. 'We are yet to understand what legal basis and authority these purported guidelines derive from,' the union said, noting that Gwarube herself admitted the guidelines had no binding or lawful effect. The union also accused the minister of deliberately creating confusion and advancing a political agenda aligned with her party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Sadtu emphasised that it had fully participated in the lawful development of the Bela regulations, which were concluded at the end of March 2025. However, it said it had seen no progress on the formal release of those regulations since then. The union has urged MECs and education department heads not to distribute the guidelines to schools. 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IOL News
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- IOL News
Teacher unions divided on Bela Act guidelines
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Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
MPs pile pressure of basic education minister to publish Bela regulations
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